MRS. BUSH: Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you very, very much
for your welcome to your beautiful country. And thanks to everyone in
Ghana for their very, very warm welcome.

Elizabeth Ohene, the Minister of State for Education, thank you so
much for your warm welcome, as well, and for your introduction. Chief,
thank you for letting us be here in your beautiful part of the country.
And I also want to thank the Presidents of the American universities who
have joined us today who will be working in partnership with African
countries on this textbook project.

I'm especially happy to be at the Accra Teacher Training Institute.
As a teacher and librarian myself, I know what a joy it is to help
children learn to read and write, to become proficient in mathematics,
and to develop a love of history and science. A pioneering American
teacher named Christa McAuliffe famously said, "I touch the future. I
teach." Each of you touches the future of your country by teaching
Ghana's children.

As teachers, as parents, and as citizens, all of us have the
responsibility to ensure that every child has access to education, an
education that will lead to a happy and healthy life. And when we say
"every child," we must mean every child, whether boy or girl, rich or
poor. Educated children grow up to be adults who have more
opportunities to work, to support their own families, and to fully
participate in the life of their country. It's so important to educate
boys and girls, because boys and girls can make important contributions
to our world.

Education produces many social benefits, and perhaps none greater
than better health. Education is our greatest ally in the effort to
stop the spread of HIV/AIDS. The United States is working with
governments and private organizations throughout Africa to achieve this
goal. We know from experience that educated girls and boys are more
likely to know what HIV is, and how to avoid infection. Girls who are
educated have more economic and social resources to rely on, and,
therefore, have more power to negotiate their own sexual lives. In
fact, educated young women have lower rates of HIV/AIDS, healthier
families, and higher rates of education for their own children.

Sadly, too many children around the world do not have access to
education or schooling. The problem is particularly acute in
sub-Saharan Africa. More than one-third of primary school-age children
are not enrolled in school at all, and of those who do enter the first
grade, fewer than half will complete primary school.

In Ghana, more children are going to school today than ever before.
The enrollment rate for school-age children has risen from 73 percent in
1998 to more than 86 percent in 2004. This is a very positive
development. (Applause.)

Of course, there are many problems and challenges that every
country still faces. Books and other learning materials are often in
short supply. It's not uncommon in rural areas to see just one textbook
for a whole classroom. Girls, especially girls in rural villages, are
much less likely than boys to attend schools. And students who live in
poverty have few opportunities for schooling because their parents
cannot afford the school fees or buy uniforms or books.

The people of the United States believe in Africa's future. We
know, as you do, that education is vital to a better future for all of
the world's children, and we're working with you to make education
available and accessible to more children in Africa.

Representatives from six American universities are here today
because their schools are now partners in education with six nations in
Africa. In the United States, our higher education institutions welcome
students from around the world. Their campuses are filled with men and
women who strive to improve life for people everywhere.

I'd like to introduce you to the university Presidents:

Dr. Elnora Daniel, the President of Chicago State University.
(Applause.) Chicago State University will partner with Ghana.
(Applause.)

Dr. Mickey Burnim, the President of Elizabeth City State University
in North Carolina. (Applause.) Elizabeth City State University will
partner with Senegal.

Dr. Beverly Hogan, President of Tougaloo College. (Applause.)
Tougaloo College is part of the Mississippi Consortium, and they'll
partner with Zambia.

Dr. Andrew Hugine, President of South Carolina State University.
(Applause.) South Carolina State University will partner with Tanzania.

Dr. Richard Romo, President of the University of Texas at San
Antonio. (Applause.) The University of Texas at San Antonio will
partner with South Africa.

Dr. Mary Spor, the Program Coordinator for Reading and Literacy at
Alabama A&M. (Applause.) Alabama A&M University will partner with
Ethiopia.

These schools and nations will work together as partners in the
Textbooks and Learning Materials Program to produce and distribute 15
million primary school textbooks for African students. (Applause.)

These textbooks will be created in Africa so they will represent
the unique experiences of African students. The text will be written
with African cultures at the center, and the illustrations will depict
African scenes. The subjects will include reading, mathematics, science
and language arts. We emphasize these subjects because it's essential
that every child learns how to read, learns how to add, subtract,
multiply and divide, and learns about the world around us. Teaching
materials, such as flash cards, charts and teaching guides will
supplement the books and will give teachers more options in their
classroom work.

The Textbooks and Learning Materials Program is part of President
Bush's efforts to expand access to education in Africa. His African
Education Initiative is a $600 million commitment to provide books,
scholarships, school uniforms and teacher training so that more children
can attend school. The African Education Initiative includes funding to
train 920,000 teachers in 20 countries in sub-Saharan African. As of
December, more than 300,000 new and experienced teachers had received
training.

In addition to the textbook program announced today, the African
Education Initiative has already facilitated the shipment of over two
million books to African schools and libraries. When I visited Tanzania
and Rwanda last summer, I announced the donations of books in those
countries. And today, I'm pleased to announce the donation of 25,000
books for school libraries in Ghana. (Applause.) And by the way, these
are new books that are carefully selected and vetted to be appropriate
for school-age children in Africa.

A major goal of President Bush's African Education Initiative is to
enroll more girls in school. To meet that goal, the United States
sponsors the Ambassadors Girls' Scholarship Program, which will provide
550,000 scholarships to girls at the primary and secondary school level.
So far, 120,000 scholarships have been provided in 40 countries. The
scholarships pay for tuition, fees, books, uniforms, and other essential
supplies.

The American people support these scholarships because we believe
that investing in a child's education will produce benefits many times
over in the future. An educated woman is better able to provide for her
family economically, and to be an advocate for her own children's
education. She has the knowledge and the skills to find new ways to
improve life in her community. She's prepared to be an active
participant in society, and perhaps even a national leader.

Yesterday, I attended the inauguration of Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf,
Liberia's new President. President Johnson-Sirleaf is the first woman
to be elected President of an African nation. (Applause.) This is a
historic time for Liberia, for Africa, and for women everywhere.
President Johnson-Sirleaf is an example for young women around the world
of a woman who has risen to the very top of her government through hard
work, faith in democracy, and belief in the power of education.

Children everywhere need positive role models, and they need the
love, support and advice from caring adults. Girls and boys will look
to teachers in this room as role models. They'll see that you value
education, and because you value education, they'll value their own
education.

I hope that when you reach the classrooms where you'll teach, you
and your students will benefit from the partnership with Chicago State
University that we're launching today. The people of the United States
stand with you as you help more students fulfill their dreams.
Together, we can build a future of peace and prosperity for both of our
countries.

I wish you success in your studies at Accra Teacher Training
College, and great happiness in your careers that lie ahead. Thank you
very, very much.